


Hellions #1

by Commander_Ferro



Series: Posthumanity [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 01:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16231685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commander_Ferro/pseuds/Commander_Ferro
Summary: The X-Men, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four have all gone missing.  The New Mutants are left alone at Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.  Taking advantage of the situation, Emma Frost, White Queen of the Hellfire Club, absorbs the school into her own Massachusetts Academy.  She transfer the New Mutants to her school to become a part of her Hellions.At the same time, all superhumans are undergoing an evolutionary change for reasons unknown.Date: 12/2017





	Hellions #1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU launched mostly off of Secret Wars, except in this story the heroes and villains taken to the Beyonder's Battleworld never return. I've taken great liberties, eliminating time travel, setting all time travelers (except one) in the present day with histories to match. I have written a good number of stories for this but they all require editing and, in some cases, major editing.

Hellions #1 (12/06)  
It could get cold in the Berkshires in the middle of December. The area was quaint, quiet and not especially designed for tourists. Still, it attracted people from nearby who wanted to ski the slopes at this time of year.  
The Massachusetts Academy, a preparatory school that was founded over 200 years ago, was the most significant landmark in Snow Valley. The existence of the school was part of the reason the area remained quiet. This school was for the elite, or those who could afford the dream of attaining that status. Those in the upper echelons of society did not want their children to have to deal with tourists or commoners mingling with them.  
This was not to say that there was nothing at all in the area. There was a mall only a few miles away and could be reached by bicycle or walking as weather permitted. There was also a nightclub for what tourists did come to the area. While club goers had to be at least eighteen to enter, many students found ways around this prohibition.  
Two limousines, one black and one white, pulled up to Hancock House, which contained the admissions office. From out of the white limousine came four girls and from the black limousine emerged four boys. Their luggage – the minimal amount that came with them personally – was removed from the trunk and placed before them. The youths mostly looked nervous, chatting amongst themselves. None of them appeared very happy.  
A woman with platinum blonde hair dressed in an entirely white women’s business suit emerged from the building. She had a warm smile on her face and approached the teenagers as she would any new group of students. Those looks could be deceptive. The woman in question was Emma Frost, White Queen of the Hellfire Club and chairperson of Frost International. These new students had clashed with Frost in the past and were none too happy to be here.  
“Children,” Frost said genially. “I’m so pleased to see you’ve arrived at last. I know you’ve had a long drive here so we’ll get you checked in quickly. Then I’ll show you to your dormitories so you can get some rest.”  
Looks of bewilderment passed through the group. This woman was their enemy. She was quite the actress to treat them so kindly in public. Or was it simply that she knew she’d won and had no further reason to treat them like captives?  
“Don’t think for a minute that we’re happy to be here,” said the American Indian girl. “None of us would be have come here if we’d had a choice.”  
The girl was Dani Moonstar, erstwhile co-leader of the New Mutants. Dani was a mutant with the ability to pull forth the fears and desires of others, manifesting them as illusions visible only to the victims. As Mirage, she was a student at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. That school had also been the secret headquarters of the X-Men, as well as the training grounds for the New Mutants. When the X-Men, along with numerous other super-heroes and super-villains, vanished, Xavier’s was acquired by the Massachusetts Academy. Its student body was then transferred to the main campus in Snow Valley.  
“There is no further need for hostilities,” Frost replied. “You are my students now. As you will no doubt discover, I am very well liked by the students.”  
“They don’t know you like we do,” said another girl.  
Kitty Pryde was the only member of the X-Men who had been left behind when the others had vanished. Ironically, had Frost not held Kitty captive, she would likely have gone off with her teammates and never returned. Emma could imagine that she had saved Kitty’s life. The fact that she was blackmailing Kitty and the New Mutants into staying was irrelevant.  
“Darling, you don’t know me at all. I regret the measures I had to take to bring you to me. It’s for the best. You’ll understand that some day when you reap the benefits the Hellfire Club brings to you.”  
“Riches I already have,” said a dark-skinned youth. “What is it you think you can offer me?”  
Roberto DaCosta was the son of wealthy Brazilian industrialist Emmanuel DaCosta. As Sunspot, he possessed great strength by using stored solar energy. Roberto could also be brash and blunt.  
“Ask that of your father,” Frost replied. “He may soon be among our ranks.”  
“No, I don’t believe you!”  
“After you’ve all settled in, please feel free to contact whomever you like.”  
Emma put off all further comments and ushered the eight new arrivals inside. The willingness with which they went suggested mind control, but at least two of them were unreadable and uncontrollable. They followed, but looks between Illyana Rasputin and Tracy Samson suggested that they knew something was wrong.  
The Rasputin girl was something of an enigma. At the age of six, Illyana had been abducted by a demon sorcerer named Belasco and been brought to his otherdimensional Limbo. What had happened to her in Limbo has remained unknown but mere moments later she appeared as a thirteen-year-old girl. Her mind was impenetrable to telepathic scans and she refused to discuss her ordeal. Over time, it was learned that Illyana was a mutant teleporter and the sorceress ruler of Limbo. Only Dani Moonstar knew anything at all about what had happened and even she knew very little.  
Tracy Samson was a different story entirely. The boy awoke naked in Central Park with no memories, no language, no traceable history and no naval. That last part was perplexing. An unusual tattoo on his left buttock suggested that he might be a clone but the lack of a naval meant there were no discernible means by which he would had been fed before ‘birth’. All examples of clones had navels. Tracy Samson – an arbitrary name given him based on the tattoo – was an unknown. That he could not be read telepathically only added to the mystery.  
A red-haired man sat inside at the desk behind a counter. He looked up as they entered. Once he saw Frost, a smile beamed from his face. It was difficult to tell whether he was genuinely glad to see the headmistress or if he feared displaying any other emotion.  
“Ms. Frost,” he greeted her. “These must be our new students.”  
“Yes, Darren,” Emma replied. “We simply need to check them in, give them room keys and get their pictures taken.”  
“I’ll have someone take their luggage to the dormitories,” Darren said.  
“Excellent idea,” Frost commended. “I can always count on you, Darren.”  
Darren made a brief phone call and then turned to the others. Staring at a list on the computer he began to name names.  
“Who do we have here today? Amara Aquilla, Danielle Moonstar, Katherine Pryde, Illyana Rasputin, Tracy Samson and Rahne Sinclair will all be on the first floor of Adams Hall.”  
Looking over the group, Darren frowned. He counted only five girls present but six were listed as females. Based on the giggles from the new students, one of the children listed as female must be male. Or perhaps a transgender person? It would certainly be unusual at this age but who could say for certain?  
“There seems to be a mistake,” Darren said. “Is Danielle meant to be Daniel?”  
More snickers followed.  
“No, Darren,” Ms. Frost replied. “Tracy is this young man here.”  
The boy had golden blonde hair, mismatched green and blue eyes, and was beautiful to behold. Darren had never in his life looked at any male in a sexual manner, much less a teenage boy, but the attraction was instantaneous. Come to think of it, they were all attractive save the redheaded girl. Her short, bristled hair and homely features did her no favors. He wondered how she got into this mix.  
“I apologize,” Darren said. “Don’t worry, Mr. Samson, we’ll have you squared away on the second floor of Jefferson Hall with the other boys.”  
“I wasn’t worried,” Tracy said. “I wouldn’t have minded staying in Adams Hall.”  
“I’m sure you wouldn’t but the girls might feel different.”  
“I doubt it.”  
“Regardless…in Jefferson Hall, floor two, we have Roberto DaCosta, Samuel Guthrie, Douglas Ramsey and Tracy Samson. This should work out quite well. There are three other boys who will be arriving today who will also room on your floor in Jefferson.”  
“Thank you, Darren,” Frost said with a cheerful smile. “Now we’re off for pictures.”  
“Of course. I’ve also arranged for Ms. Stavros to hold the keys for the girls and Mr. De la Rocha to hold them for the boys. I’ll send another along for Mr. Samson. Once again, welcome to the Massachusetts Academy.”  
Ms. Frost led the students down the corridor to another room. There was a stool before a camera with a backdrop of a pastel colored sky. Each student was sent to take a picture, all eight of them in turn. Inside of twenty minutes, the teenagers had identification marking them as students at the school. In the bottom right corner of each was a Ψ mark. It could have been meant to be the Greek letter psi, but was more likely a stylized pitchfork to represent their association with the Hellfire Club.  
With pictures out of the way, Ms. Frost escorted the students outside. There stood two of the Hellions, Empath and Roulette. They weren’t in their bright pink costumes but instead the school uniforms. For the girls it was a plaid skirt with a red or white top, a dark blue jacket, white socks and black shoes. The boys wore a navy blue jacket, white shirt, red tie and black shoes.  
“We meet again,” said Empath, a conceited look on his face. He felt as though the arrival of the New Mutants was a personal triumph.  
“You don’t watch it and I’ll cram my fist down your throat,” said Sam Guthrie.  
The Kentucky-bred Guthrie was able to fly and was invulnerable while doing so. He had been the other co-leader of the New Mutants as Cannonball. For a very brief time, Sam had been one of the Hellfire Club mercenaries. He hadn’t the heart to do what they required of him and turned against them.  
“Now, now, Samuel,” Ms. Frost said. “Let us start over. You are both classmates and teammates. As such, you must learn to get along, even if you don’t like one another. You will shake hands with Manuel.”  
Grudgingly, Sam took Empath’s hand in his grip to make a concession. He knew the stakes were too high not to play along. The danger to Sam’s family was too great to allow him to do anything foolish.  
Manuel De la Rocha was descended from royalty, though his own family had almost nothing. His parents worked hard to be able to send Manuel to a private school, though a generous scholarship paid much of the cost. The problem was that Manuel was arrogant. His ancestry convinced Manuel that he deserved more from life and his empathic powers made others putty in his hands.  
“Follow me to Jefferson Hall,” said Manuel. “Your luggage has already been placed in your rooms. We were originally meant to have our old rooms but Ms. Frost expects a rapid expansion of members over the next few months. Within three months there will be over twenty-five Hellions.”  
“Twenty-five,” said Doug Ramsey. “How is that possible? Where did they all come from?”  
Doug had no real affiliation with the New Mutants. He lived in Salem Center and had been friends with Kitty Pryde since they both had an interest in computers. Together, without realizing it, the two had accessed and destroyed a Sentinel that was part of the government-backed Project: Wideawake. It had been so easy because Doug had a mutant facility with languages, even those of computers. Doug had been invited to attend the Massachusetts Academy and asked Kitty to come along for the tour. That was how Kitty had come to be kidnaped.  
“Professor Xavier had frequently blocked Ms. Frost from acquiring new mutants,” Empath responded. “That is no longer the case.”  
Shortly, the students arrived at Jefferson Hall. When last the New Mutants had been to the Academy, all of the Hellions had been on the same floor of the same building. Now they were in completely separate dormitories.  
“Why are the boys and girls now in separate dormitories,” asked Roberto. “This was not the case only a few months ago.”  
“Ms. Frost made special arrangements last time. It is no longer necessary since she knows you will remain of your own will.”  
“As if that were possible,” Sam commented.  
“The choice is always yours regardless of the consequences. Now, let us go inside. Follow me up the stairs.”  
When they arrived, Manuel pulled out a clipboard and several keys. He looked the list over carefully.  
“Sam, you will be rooming with Haroun in 207. Here is your key.”  
“Haroun,” Sam queried. “You mean Jetstream?”  
“Yes. Ms. Frost thought that if the two of you could get along you might learn something from one another about your powers. Roberto and Doug will be rooming together. Tracy’s roommate James Tyler will be arriving later, as will two other boys. Here are your keys. You may explore the grounds but I strongly recommend you wait for the new arrivals.”  
Having finished his duty, Manuel retired to his own room. It didn’t seem as though he had a roommate. When his door clicked shut another opened. From out of it came Flex, another of the Hellions who had clashed with the New Mutants. Since that meeting, he and Illyana had been dating.  
Flex was Mark Sellers, the son of the chairman and majority stockholder of Darkstar Pharmaceuticals. His powers allowed him to shrink and grow any or all parts of his body at will. Mark had been one of the most decent members of the Hellions, going out of his way to help the New Mutants escape. Since the New Mutants had last seen him, Mark had acquired a piercing on his left eyebrow. As always, he wasn’t entirely happy with his life, though he usually hid it well.  
“It’s good to see you guys again,” said Mark. “Too bad it didn’t work out like we’d hoped.”  
“That’s an understatement,” Sam replied. “Instead of you bein’ at our school now we’re stuck at yours.”  
Mark put up a hand as if to tell Sam to be quiet while he looked around. Satisfied, he turned back to the others.  
“Why don’t you guys all put your stuff away,” said Mark. “My roommate isn’t here but I don’t think he’s expected for another couple of hours.”  
“Perhaps another mutant blackmailed into coming here,” Roberto offered.  
Mark shrugged his shoulders.  
“Most of the students are here because this is a first-rate prep school. That was true long before Frost took over. I think you guys are the only ones being blackmailed.”  
“Then you’re here by choice.”  
“I never said that.”  
“Then--”  
“Look, yours and Doug’s room is right over there.”  
Roberto gave Mark a dark look but went off to his room with Doug following suit. Tracy had already found his room. It was just Mark and Sam in the hallway.  
“I guess I’ll--” Sam began.  
“Your stuff’s already in your room,” Mark said. “Want me to show you around?”  
“Empath said we should stay here until the other boys showed up.”  
“That could be hours. C’mon, let’s go.”  
Sam saw something desperate in Mark’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what it meant but knew Mark didn’t just want to give him a tour. Something else was going on.  
“Right behind you,” Sam replied.

Over in Adams Hall, Jenny Stavros led the other five girls to their rooms. Unlike Empath, Jenny seemed to take more of an interest in her charges. She showed each girl to her room and helped them set themselves up. Jenny also showed them where the two bathrooms were located on that floor and where they could go to do their laundry.  
Jenny was a platinum blonde, though it was doubtful it was natural. She was born in Atlantic City to a blackjack dealer. She was also involved in some of the tougher gangs in town. When her mutant power to influence luck for good or ill manifested, she truly became a terror. It was then that Emma Frost found Jenny and took her into the Hellions. She taught Jenny to put on a friendly face at will, the better to unbalance her opponents. Jenny was doing this even now as she brought the female members of the New Mutants into the fold.  
“Can you believe this chick,” Illyana whispered to Kitty. “She acts like we’re friends and that we don’t hate each other.”  
“Could be Frost’s orders,” Kitty replied. “If she really wants to integrate us into the Hellions she has to make us feel like we belong.”  
As they talked, a door opened and a large, lavender cat of indeterminate breed stepped out into the hallway. The feet were more like those of a human than of a cat.  
This cat was the Hellion called Catseye, who also used the alias of Sharon Smith. Emma Frost allegedly found Catseye living in the sewers among other cats, apparently having been raised by them. The girl was a mutant metamorph but was said to believe herself to be a cat who could appear human. Of course, some theories postulated that the x-gene sequence wasn’t limited to humans, which could mean that Catseye might be anything at all.  
“Redfur came to see me,” said Catseye.  
Catseye approached Rahne and pulled her into a hug. The action was surprising but the metamorph did help them the last time they met. It may have been that Catseye genuinely liked the New Mutants, or perhaps just Rahne.  
“Och, Catseye, it’s good to see you again,” Rahne said.  
“At least we know one of us will fit in here,” Illyana said to Kitty.  
Kitty nodded her head but the look on her face as she watched the two shapechangers was more worrisome than relieved.  
“It could be bad,” said Dani. “Rahne is naïve. I can also tell that Catseye is the same way. She’s…easier to read than Rahne. It’s like she’s more cat than human. Those two may get along great but I don’t think it’ll be safe for them here.”  
“Agreed,” said Kitty. “Just be wary.”  
“I do not understand this,” said Amara. “It is true that this is not an ideal situation but the X-Men have abandoned us or died. In either case they are of no help to us.”  
Illyana stiffened at Amara’s words. Her brother was Colossus of the X-Men and she knew he would never willingly abandon her. The X-Men might be dead but she hadn’t given up on them and continually searched for them through her scrying waters in Limbo. Had Illyana been able to kill with a glance, the pure hatred for Amara that emanated from her would have reduced the other girl to a shriveled husk.  
It was at that moment that a hand came to rest on Illyana’s shoulder. When Illyana turned to look she saw Tarot looking at her. Tarot was a slender redhead from France who had the power to make the images on her tarot cards come alive. She was also somewhat prescient when using them.  
“Hello, Illyana,” said Tarot. “I wanted to formally introduce myself to you since we are to be roommates. I am Marie-Ange Colbert.”  
Illyana was put off for a moment. She remembered full well the awesome power Tarot wielded, how it had been a match for her own. They both used a form of magic and Illyana was interested in delving further into the mystic arts, if only as a means to aid in her search for the X-Men. Tarot could not only be useful but perhaps would understand her far more than the others.  
Illyana smiled at the other girl.  
“You caught be off-guard there,” Illyana said. “So we’re roomies, eh? We’ve got some things in common so it should be fun.”  
“Perhaps we can go to our room and discuss things while you settle in,” Marie-Ange suggested.  
“Good idea. I’ll see you guys later.”

“Nice campus you got here,” Sam said to Mark. “It doesn’t have quite as much as Xavier’s but it’s close.”  
“Xavier’s didn’t have to worry about most of its students finding out there were mutants around,” Mark replied.  
“Point taken.”  
Mark and Sam walked in silence. Mark had his head down, as if contemplating what he was going to say. Then he stopped and looked at Sam.  
“She’s going to try to corrupt you,” Mark said.  
“Who, the White Queen? She won’t have a chance. She couldn’t do it last time.”  
“You don’t understand.”  
Mark closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing.  
“She has lots of ways – telepathy, friendship, therapy, drugs, Empath and even misery. You haven’t met Angelica yet but she’s one of our teammates. Frost kept her separate from us until she recruited you guys. Angelica came here sweet and innocent, maybe even a little naïve. But I’ve watched her. She’s already changing. Frost will offer you things to help you relax or calm your nerves. Next thing you know you’re hooked on something. There’s this one out there called Kick that gives mutants a special kind of high. It gives a temporary boost to your powers but it’s really addictive. That’s only the least of what she’ll offer.”  
“Whatever happened to ‘Just say no’?”  
“Just be careful. I’ve watched a few of you guys. Magma and Sunspot could easily fit in with Frost. Maybe Illyana, too.”  
“Bobby would never join with her,” Sam said with some vehemence.  
“No? His father might be joining the Hellfire Club. I also happen to know that Frost and Shaw have expressed interest in dealing with the Nova Romans and that Magma’s father would rather she be here than at Xavier’s.”  
Sam was silent. This wasn’t something he’d ever thought about but he could see the logic. Bobby and Amara were not only hot-headed but also extremely arrogant. In many ways, they were a perfect fit with the Hellfire Club. Not Illyana, though. She definitely wasn’t a typical girl but her hatred for Frost would keep her from ever truly joining them.  
“I’ll keep an eye out.”  
“Good, but watch out for yourself. It’s too easy to fall into these things when there’s pressure all around you to conform.”  
“When the X-Men come back--”  
“They’re not.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean? Do you know something?”  
Mark sighed, clearly not wanting this conversation.  
“Illyana and Dani accidentally teleported a year into the future and saw all of you guys here as students. I can see bits of the future if I try hard and Marie-Ange – that’s Tarot – did a reading about the X-Men. She saw no signs that the X-Men would return any time in the next few years.”  
“Then we’re trapped.”  
“Just know you have allies. You can trust James, I’m sure of that. Tarot and Catseye aren’t bad but they’re loyal to Frost. I should also let you know that Jetstream is probably going to try to seduce you.”  
“That ain’t happening. No way.”  
“I hope you’re right but I’d be careful of leaving any drinks around him.”  
“Why’s that?”  
“Roofies. They’ll make you do things you’d never do otherwise.”  
“I’ll…be careful.”  
“Listen, Sam, I came to you because I think you can be a strong influence on your friends. Use it to help them.”  
Sam nodded his head, contemplating what Mark said. He wasn’t entirely sure he believed that Mark knew the X-Men wouldn’t return. Even though Mark had helped them escape after Frost kidnaped Kitty, he could be lying. Still, Sam couldn’t take the chance that Mark was wrong. If the X-Men didn’t come back soon, and he did nothing, then all would be lost. It was better to err on the side of caution. He didn’t entirely trust Mark but he’d be a fool to ignore the advice.

“Hard to believe they stuck us together,” Kitty said to Dani. “I would have figured Frost wouldn’t want any of us in the same room.”  
Dani Moonstar frowned. She realized that Frost must have been at least partially aware of the friction between Kitty and the New Mutants. When Kitty had been temporarily bumped from the X-Men to the New Mutants she took to calling them ‘X-Babies’. Since some of the New Mutants were actually older than Kitty, they were not pleased with her. Dani, not usually known for her tact, said none of these things.  
“She probably doesn’t care,” was Dani’s response. “Even though the Professor taught us a little about shielding our thoughts I’d bet that she could ram through our defenses if she really wanted.”  
“Yeah--” Kitty mumbled. She remembered a very short time ago when the White Queen had done something to her mind. Kitty had never been sure what was done to her and Professor Xavier wasn’t around to figure it out. Even now she could be falling under Frost’s sway and not even know it.  
“Besides,” said Dani. “She probably has the room bugged.”  
Not liking the sound of that, Kitty phased and moved around the room, passing through everything. Her powers tended to short out electronic circuitry and she hoped she got everything. Kitty missed the obvious in the radio but she had a plan for that. Her skill with computers and electronics would allow her to check it out when she eventually got her hands on some tools.  
“Interesting that she’s not inhibiting our powers this time around,” said Kitty. “I guess she figures we’re not going anywhere while our friends and families are in danger.”  
“Family,” Dani said with a sad smile. “I just found out that mine’s alive and now I’m stuck here.”  
“Don’t worry, Dani. We’ll find a way out of this somehow. Illyana told me you were strong and a natural leader. The White Queen underestimated both of us. Together, you and I can figure out how to turn this to our advantage.”

East of the dormitories in a wooded area, Manuel and Jenny were out for a walk. Manuel kept stealing glances at Jenny but he wasn’t being coy. He was trying to decide how far he could go with Jenny before he had to manipulate her with his powers. Deciding to wait no further for action, Manuel turned and pulled his teammate into an embrace. Jenny didn’t resist, at least not until Manuel’s hands began to roam to her breasts. It wasn’t that Jenny minded the behavior so much but he held very little interest to her. His family had little money but he had the arrogance of royalty. A little snobbery was to be expected at this school, a sign of status, but Manuel took it too far.  
Knowing Manuel as she did, Jenny prepared for his all-too-likely attempt to control her. Like most, Manuel didn’t know the full extent of Jenny’s powers. Everyone thought she had to fling her probability discs at targets, but that was only ever part of it. Jenny originally only knew that luck was on her side; it was later that she learned to use the discs. In fact, it had been ‘lucky’ for her that none of Emma Frost’s mind scans had picked up on this, nor had the Mutivac mutant detector or any other device.  
When Manuel attempted to use his empathic power to manipulate Jenny’s emotions, he found himself developing an intense headache. It grew in strength until it was like a migraine.  
“Are you okay, Manny,” Jenny asked with feigned innocence.  
“I am…fine,” Manuel said through gritted teeth.  
“Do you want me to help you back to the dorm? Or to the doctor?”  
“A De la Rocha needs no one’s help!”  
“Oookay. Then I’m gonna go. See you around.”  
As Manuel rubbed his temples, Jenny turned to leave. She had a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. They always underestimated her, but Jenny would soon let everyone know that she was the true manipulator rather than Manuel.

Illyana and Marie-Ange sat on the floor of their room. A pentagram had been formed on the floor with silver candles at each point. Marie-Ange had cards laid out before them as if she’d just done a reading.  
“We can make this work,” Illyana said.  
“I had never guessed that we could combine our abilities in this manner,” Marie-Ange remarked. “How did you know?”  
“I guessed. We’re both mutants whose powers are tied to the supernatural. It makes sense.”  
Marie-Ange quieted. She seemed uncertain about something. Having gathered up her cards, the red-haired girl shuffled them and drew a card. The Lovers. Returning it to the deck, she repeated the exercise. The Lovers again. Two more attempts yielded the same results. Sighing, Marie-Ange looked up at her new friend.  
Hesitantly, Marie-Ange said, “I must tell you something, Illyana. I think it will disturb you as much as it has me.”  
“What is it?”  
“It is about Mark. You and he are close, are you not?”  
“Well, we’re kind of dating, but I haven’t even seen him since we got here.”  
Marie-Ange took a deep breath.  
“Mark is…disturbed,” Marie-Ange began. “His twin sister is unwell or missing and he does not cope well. Ms. Frost has been giving him--” Here, Marie-Ange paused. "Therapy.”  
“She’s a psychiatrist, too,” Illyana questioned with a look of disbelief on her face.  
“Yes and no. Ms. Frost is a sex therapist.”  
“Sex therapist? Then how does she help Mark?”  
Marie-Ange stared at Illyana, waiting for her to make the connection.  
“Are you…are you saying--”  
“Yes,” Marie-Ange responded. “I do not believe this is something Mark desires but Ms. Frost can be most persuasive. It is easier while he is depressed and his defenses are weak.”  
“That’s gross.”  
“Do not be hard on Mark. I think he has little choice in the matter but I thought you should know.”

A burly redhead stepped into a room in Jefferson Hall. There were items around the room that were distinctly from one of the American Indian tribes, though the new arrival couldn’t say which one. Buford Wilson saw no signs of his roommate but did see an empty bed. He set his bags down and looked around.  
There was a space on the wall near his bed to hang posters but remnants of poster putty said that other things had been there more recently. At a guess, this had been a single unit until his arrival.  
A noise from the doorway caused him to turn around. There stood a swarthy-looking boy his own age with black hair. The tribal necklace he was wearing suggested he was the missing roommate.  
“You must be Buford,” the Indian remarked.  
James Proudstar was the younger brother of John Proudstar, who had been a member of the X-Men as Thunderbird. He died on his second mission, something for which James had always blamed Charles Xavier. Possessing powers much like those of his brother, James adopted the name of Thunderbird himself, vowing to avenge John’s death. He somehow came to the attention of Emma Frost who offered to train James alongside her Hellions, promising him the opportunity for vengeance. James was robbed of that chance when the X-Men – Xavier included – vanished. That left him somewhat bitter and angry, even if he truly had a heart of gold underneath. If he allowed himself to accept it, James could never have gone through with killing Xavier. He just wasn’t that type of man.  
“Call me Bo,” was the response.  
Bo stretched out his arm for a handshake. James, who had determined to be obstinate, stared at the hand. Bo kept his arm out and a friendly smile on his face. Unable to remain dour, James clasped Bo’s hand.  
“Welcome to the Academy. I’m James.”

Tracy Samson stood in his room staring out the window. He was not eager to be at the Massachusetts Academy. It was different at Xavier’s, where he could roam the grounds and fly freely in the air. Here, Tracy had to hide who he was, pretending to be a normal human boy. Tracy knew that he wasn’t a mutant – at least not according to Professor X – but he was far from human.  
The worst part about being here was that the White Queen would want to train him as one of her Hellions. Tracy wasn’t geared for violence. The Professor understood that and allowed him to use his powers in only non-destructive ways – unless the destruction allowed something better, such as removing a tree stump to allow new growth in its place. The fact was that Xavier wanted to foster his growth as a person and a posthuman. That wouldn’t be possible here. On some levels, Emma Frost was genuine in wanting Tracy and the other New Mutants to fit in but underneath it all she wanted to use them to achieve her own goals.  
His ability to sense emotions told Tracy everything he needed to know. On the whole, the school consisted of vapid, self-centered, spoiled, rich brats. That wasn’t something Tracy could deal with. It might have been a little more bearable if his girlfriend had come to the Academy, even though he was glad for her sake that she hadn’t.  
Ginny Snow had been a private student of Professor Xavier, not a resident of the school or part of the New Mutants. The first time Tracy had seen Ginny he got a funny feeling inside. He was never quite sure what it meant but he liked the feeling. Tracy could tell that Ginny felt the same. They dated, but that was now a difficult thing to do with them being so far apart.  
Tracy heard the door open at about the same time he felt a telepathic probe. It slid off of his brain, unable to penetrate. For whatever reason, Tracy was immune to telepathic intrusion. Tracy wondered if the barrier was there to prevent anyone from digging into his mind to discover his past. This ability was more boon than problem so he readily accepted it.  
Turning around, Tracy saw a boy with blonde hair and sunglasses. Tracy could sense anger in him – a lot of anger. He knew right then and there that he would not be staying. Frost had put Tracy in the same room as an angry, aggressive telepath. He was the exact opposite of Ginny, who was kind and would never invade another’s mind without permission.  
“Guess you’re my roommate,” said the new arrival. “I’m Tyler.”  
“Tracy.”  
“Tracy? What kind of name is that for a guy?”  
Tracy didn’t respond. Instead, he opened the window and jumped out. Despite it being the second floor, Tracy landed deftly on his feet. He ran off in the direction of the woods, intending to take to the air once no one else was around.  
Inside, Tyler Dayspring shrugged and went about setting himself up in his room. He didn’t want to deal with a weak loser like Tracy anyway.

“These rooms are marvelous, even if we are here against our will,” remarked Roberto DaCosta.  
Doug Ramsey seemed indifferent. His parents had intended to send him here anyway. The only thing that had changed was that, as a member of the Hellions, Doug received better accommodations than other students. He still had to share a room, but this one was far superior to the one he’d stayed in while visiting the school a few months back. In any case, Doug wasn’t being blackmailed like any of the others.  
“Did you talk to your father,” Doug asked.  
Roberto’s mood seemed to darken.  
“It seems there is some truth to what the White Queen said. My father was invited to join the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club.”  
“I wonder if we’ll get to go to the celebration? Even if we’re not completely part of the Hellfire Club, we do sort of work for them.”  
“You are taking this far too lightly,” Roberto said, reprimanding Doug. “Do you not realize what the Hellfire Club represents?”  
“Look, man, I know you’ve had problems with these guys but I never did. The Academy did come recruiting but it wasn’t done personally by Ms. Frost. I doubt she was mind-controlling my parents. My parents are rich and I was gonna end up here anyway. The only real perk my parents got was a probationary membership to the Hellfire Club.”  
“You were not blackmailed but bribed instead.”  
Doug rolled his eyes. He turned to look out the windows. Glancing over toward the woods, Doug saw a figure shoot up into the sky. He couldn’t be certain but he thought it was Tempest.  
“The offer didn’t come until after they decided to send me here.”  
“So you--”  
“Look, Roberto, not everyone has to be bribed or blackmailed to get in here. Most parents would kill to get their kids in here. You guys seriously were unique in the way you were…recruited, but I bet the rest of the Hellions come here by invitation or application to the school.”  
“You blindly trust them?”  
Doug moved the curtain a bit as if to open the window. With his hands hidden from much of the room but visible to Roberto, Doug pointed to something in the corner where ceiling met wall near the door. A little speck of something could be seen but it seemed out of place.  
“Why wouldn’t I? Yeah, Frost played with my memories a little, but she undid it all later.”  
Roberto gave Doug an odd look. It was obvious that Doug wasn’t at all stupid. He had somehow realized there were devices in the room to observe what they said and did. Roberto wasn’t used to the idea that someone would be spying on him.  
“I suppose…if my father is to be part of the Inner Circle, then membership in the Hellfire Club will become mine by right of succession. Perhaps I can simply bide my time and make changes from within.”  
“Good plan. It’s always a good idea to take your time in making plans and being sure you’ve got all the angles covered.”

In a room in Adams Hall, a lavender cat and a red wolf circled one another. They appeared to be sniffing one another. It would have been an unusual sight to see if had been anyone there to view it.  
When they had finished, each in turn made noises – growling and purring. The sounds altered as they went, finally coming to a common ground. It was as though they had created a language of their own that combined aspects of feline and lupine communication.  
Finally, the beasts shifted form to become human. The lavender cat became a beautiful blonde-haired young woman while the wolf assumed the form of a homely redhead with bristly hair. Rahne seemed shocked when she saw Catseye.  
“Catseye, you look so different! I thought you were more like a cat!”  
Catseye smiled, glancing down at her naked body. Any girl would kill for a body like this one and most boys would crave it. Her hips and breasts were perfectly shaped, the body toned just right, and not a flaw on her. The only unusual feature was the lavender eyes, and most assumed they were colored contact lenses.  
“Come on, Rahne,” Catseye said. “You don’t think Sharon Smith could go to class looking like that, do you?”  
“I guess I did nae think it through so much.”  
“This is pure human form. The one you knew was something like a mix between transitional and this one. Sort of like you’re doing now.”  
“What d’ye mean,” Rahne asked. “This is my human self.”  
Sharon sighed. She’d been through this before.  
“Do you ever change, aging aside? Do you have to cut your hair or nails, or do these things always remain the same?”  
“My transitional form changed recently.”  
“More powerful, right?”  
“…Yes. How’d ye know?”  
“It doesn’t matter but was I right about the other stuff?”  
“Yes. My hair has nae grown in years.”  
“That’s because you’re not changing to human but to a specific form. We’re metamorphs and not locked down except when we choose. You choose that form so it never changes.”  
“I kin only change to wolf and back.”  
“And transitional form – of which you now have two. Trust me, Rahne, I had to learn the truth about myself, too. We’re not full-blown metamorphs like Mystique. Ms. Frost calls us animorphs. Still, we have more control over our looks than you’d ever believe. Low self-esteem keeps you looking this way but I bet there’s a sexy girl inside waiting to come out. I’m going to help you find her.”

“Do you like the room,” said Haroun.  
Haroun al Rashid was the Hellion called Jetstream. He was of Moroccan descent. Like his roommate Sam Guthrie – Cannonball – Haroun could propel himself through the air. Unlike some, Haroun was not immune to harm while blasting and had been seriously injured while doing so. It was only technology provided by the Hellfire Club that had saved him, leaving him in their debt.  
“It’s nice,” Sam replied. “My room at Xavier’s was really nice, too, but nothin’ like this.”  
“Unlike Xavier’s, the Massachusetts Academy is a true preparatory school. Only the children of the elite came here – with some obvious exceptions of late. As such, we receive the best accommodations.”  
“I had my own room at Xavier’s.”  
“Ms. Frost had considered the idea but she wishes all of the Hellions to be near one another. The boys and girls have an entire floor in each of the dorms just for the Hellions. It is much easier so that we need not hide our abilities as much as we would if we were among the other students.”  
Sam was uncomfortable. He kept thinking back to what Mark had told him about Jetstream trying to seduce him. Sam thought about asking Frost to change his room but it would probably create more problems than it would solve. Besides, it might be that nothing ever happened. If Haroun were gay like Mark suggested, Sam would deal with it even if he didn’t like it. So long as he kept his hands to himself there would be no problems.  
“Why do you suppose the White Queen put us in the same room,” Sam asked.  
“As best as possible, Ms. Frost – and you had better get used to calling her that on campus – tried to room us based on similarity of powers. She thought that if we became friends then we might be able to train more closely to help us both develop our abilities.”  
“Makes sense.”  
Haroun could see that Sam was ill at ease. He didn’t know quite what was the cause of it. While true that they were rivals in the past, that was behind them. Haroun considered that his refusal to acknowledge defeat at Sam’s hand when they last met might have something to do with it.  
“I…admit my loss,” Haroun said.  
“What?” Sam was caught completely off-guard.  
“When we last met. I refused to admit defeat but have recognized that I can learn from you. Therefore, I admit to being defeated by you.”  
“That’s old news but thanks all the same.”  
That left Haroun even more confused. Sam clearly thought very little about that last encounter and held no grudge. What else was there? Perhaps some prejudice over religion? Then he remembered that Sam had gone off somewhere with Mark just after his arrival. Could Mark have given Sam a reason not to trust him? Mark had never liked Haroun and may have given Sam cause not to trust him. He was going to have to talk to Mark to straighten things out.

“This room is stunning,” Amara remarked. “I had my own room at Xavier’s, one styled after my home in Nova Roma but this is even better. That room was meant to make me comfortable but this one is more what I should expect to see in the rest of the world. Elegant and tasteful.”  
“Glad you like it,” Angelica replied.  
Angelica Jones went by the name of Firestar in the Hellions. She had been a sweet, naïve girl prior to coming to the Academy. Without doubt, Frost had been a corrupting influence on the Hellions. For whatever reason, Angelica had been a special project of Frost’s, initially kept separate from the others. After incorporating the New Mutants into the Hellions, Frost made Angelica a full member as well. The shy girl was gone. It would be more accurate to say that Angelica was the ultimate tease, something she had learned from Jenny. Set them up, turned them on and walked away. It left the boys frustrated and powerless. Firestar was among the most powerful of the Hellions and she wasn’t afraid to use that to her advantage.  
“You are Firestar,” Amara stated. “Do you have fire powers?”  
“Not really. Microwaves. Either way I can cook things.”  
“I can also ‘cook things’ with my lava blasts. Or create a volcano.”  
“I heard about that. You made one in the middle of Rio.”  
Amara blushed. She liked to control things and making that volcano was the result of her lack of control. She wondered how Angelica knew about that or if the girl realized what effect it would have on Amara. The smirk on her face suggested she knew exactly what she was doing.  
“My power was new to me then. I will not repeat what I did in Rio de Janeiro, at least not by accident. I can, for instance, cause a spike of magma to burst out of the ground at a specific location. You would be safe if you were immune to fire…which you are not.”  
That drew a broad grin from Angelica. Amara would prove to be a match for her, keeping things interesting. Neither was a pushover and their relationship would be anything but dull.  
“I think we’ll get along just fine.”

When Mark returned to his room there was a new arrival. He was a tall, slender boy with brown hair and blue eyes. The boy looked at Mark and smiled, a twinkle in his eye. In some ways that reminded him of Haroun except Mark didn’t see the manipulative aspect. It was more like someone who saw something he liked.  
“Bonjour,” he said to Mark. “I am Fabian.”  
“I’m Mark,” the other replied.  
The two shook hands, though Fabian allowed it to linger longer than it should have.  
“How’d you end in Massachusetts,” Mark asked.  
Fabian Marechal-Julbin thought of an answer. He wasn’t quite ready to reveal his non-relationship with the father who blamed him for the death of his mother at birth. Nor did he wish to explain how his father was further appalled by his mutant abilities. Having spent time in an exceptionally strict Catholic boarding school had also not been very fun but at least the emergence of his powers got him out of that place. The nuns and the brothers could not tolerate a boy who could strike them down with ease.  
“My abilities are best fostered in this environment,” Fabian replied.  
“And what are those abilities?”  
“I project a bio-electric force. It can be quite devastating. Fortunately, there have been no casualties but I do not wish to allow such a thing to occur accidentally.”  
Mark nodded. He didn’t miss the work ‘accidentally’. He wondered exactly how much Frost had told Fabian about the nature of the Hellions. It didn’t seem as though Fabian had any particular problem with killing but wanted only to do so on his own terms.  
“This will be the place to learn. Ms. Frost drives us very hard to develop our powers to the utmost capabilities.”  
Fabian was about to respond when a flash of light heralded the entrance of Illyana. She flashed Fabian a smile before turning to Mark.  
“We need to talk,” said Illyana.  
“What’s up?”  
“It’s private.”  
Illyana grabbed Mark and teleported him to a secluded spot in the woods.  
“I’ve heard some things,” Illyana said without preamble. “Things that kind of disturb me. Stuff about the White Queen…and you.”  
“Me? What do I have to do with anything? I mean, I’m a student and a Hellion but what else is there?”  
“Something to do with your therapy. It’s kind of fucked up when the only therapist around is a sex therapist.”  
Mark was stunned. He didn’t know how to respond. He knew full well what Illyana was implying but didn’t want to imagine what the other would know.  
“Nothing to say?”  
“What do you want me to say?”  
“Not even a denial?”  
“Look--”  
“Forget it,” Illyana said, cutting him off. “I don’t want to know what it’s about and I don’t really care but with all that’s going on in my life recently it’s something I can’t deal with. So I’m gonna go ahead and break up with you.”  
“Oh.”  
“At least you’re taking it well.”  
Not wishing further discussion, Illyana teleported herself and Mark back to his room.  
“Maybe we can still be friends,” Illyana said before disappearing.  
Fabian stared at Mark, who seemed to be very upset. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what had happened, though the why was unknown to him. Mark appeared to be taking it hard but he couldn’t know that it was less the fact that they broke up and more that she did so over a secret he would never have let anyone know about.  
“Are you alright, mon ami,” Fabian asked.  
“Huh?”  
“Your girlfriend appears to have--”  
"--dumped me. Yeah.”  
“Can I do something for you?”  
The change that came over Mark was almost instantaneous. A mask had erected itself over the sadness. This one was confident and indifferent to what had just happened.  
“Nah, I’m fine. She’s just some stupid girl. There are others around.”

The End


End file.
